What do you really know about your make-up? Not much, as it turns out. Unlike food, there are few regulations that mandate independent safety testing of personal care and makeup ingredients.

Of the estimated 10,500 different chemical compounds used in makeup and personal care products, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) estimates that only 11% of them have been assessed for safety. In most cases, the assessments were performed by a review panel funded by the manufacturers themselves. The EWG also reports that one out of every 100 such products on store shelves contains ingredients that are known or probable human carcinogens, and that the average person is exposed to over 120 potentially hazardous chemicals every day via personal care products.

How is it such toxins are allowed in cosmetics? The Food and Drug Administration, the agency charged with overseeing the cosmetics and personal care products industry, asks only that manufacturers police themselves.

The good news is that the Federal Fair Packaging and Labeling Act requires manufacturers to list the ingredients in makeup and personal care products in descending order of quantity (i.e. the ingredient used in the largest amount is listed first). This means that with a little know-how, we can all scrutinize these products and make safer choices. Here’s our list of tips:

Go easy on these products, including makeup, nail products, hair gels and perfumes. Encourage the rest of your family to follow suit.

Scrutinize labels. Avoid products that list hard-to-pronounce chemicals or that contain mostly synthetics. Look for products that contain natural ingredients only.

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics has asked cosmetic companies to sign an agreement not to use chemicals linked to cancer, birth defects and other health problems. So far, more than 500 companies have signed the pact. You can find the complete list at www.safecosmetics.org.

Avoid products that contain placental extracts or placenta-sourced ingredients. These contain estrogen that is absorbed by the user.

Skip anything with phthalates. Be on the lookout for ingredients like n-butyl benzyl phthalate (BBzP), di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), diethyl phthalate, dimethyl phthalate, or dibutyl phthalate. Avoid products that contain phthalic acid, phthalic anhydride, phthalic glycols, or any ingredient that starts with or contains the letter combination “phth.”

Don’t use products that contain parabens, preservatives that go by the names methylparaben, butylparaben, propylparaben and/or parahydroxybenzoate.

Avoid synthetic fragrances. Under the guise of protecting trade secrets, a loophole in federal regulations allows manufacturers to use unhealthy chemicals like phthalates and musks in product scents and to hide this use behind generic fragrance mentions on product labels. Don’t buy any product that simply lists “fragrance,” “scent,” or “perfume” as an ingredient. Instead, look for fragrance-free and naturally-scented products. For more information about fragrances see ewg.org.

Stay away from synthetic dyes and coloring agents, especially hair dyes and colorants. Natural alternatives like henna and chamomile are safer choices.

Don’t buy products that list proprietary or trademarked ingredients, which often hide hazardous chemical components.

Knowledge is power. The following web sites are excellent sources of information about personal care products:

http://thinkbeforeyoupink.org/
http://safecosmetics.org/
http://www.ewg.org/featured/214
www.breastcancerfund.org

photo: Tom Hodgkinson